It'd be funnier if I wasn't living it...
A small, family owned company and a large corporation decided to have a
canoe race on the Missouri River.
Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance
before the race.
On the big day, the family owned company won by an hour.
The large company, very discouraged and depressed, decided to
investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made
up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend
appropriate action.
Their conclusion was that the small company had 8 people rowing and 1
person steering, while the large company had 8 people steering and 1
person rowing.
So the large company management hired a consulting firm and paid them a
large amount of money for a second opinion. They advised that too many
people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.
To prevent another loss to the family, the rowing team's management
structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area
steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering
manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1
person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called
"Rowing Team Quality First Program," with meetings, dinners, and free
pens for the rower. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes,
and other equipment, and extra vacation days for practices, as well as
bonuses.
The next year the family owned company won by two hours.
Humiliated, the large company management laid off the rower for poor
performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and
canceled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was
distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's
racing team was outsourced to India.
A small, family owned company and a large corporation decided to have a
canoe race on the Missouri River.
Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance
before the race.
On the big day, the family owned company won by an hour.
The large company, very discouraged and depressed, decided to
investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made
up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend
appropriate action.
Their conclusion was that the small company had 8 people rowing and 1
person steering, while the large company had 8 people steering and 1
person rowing.
So the large company management hired a consulting firm and paid them a
large amount of money for a second opinion. They advised that too many
people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.
To prevent another loss to the family, the rowing team's management
structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area
steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering
manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1
person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called
"Rowing Team Quality First Program," with meetings, dinners, and free
pens for the rower. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes,
and other equipment, and extra vacation days for practices, as well as
bonuses.
The next year the family owned company won by two hours.
Humiliated, the large company management laid off the rower for poor
performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and
canceled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was
distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's
racing team was outsourced to India.